President Trump held his first cabinet meeting of the new year yesterday and — after having his secretaries take turns gushing about his wonderful leadership — cast doubt on his previously-announced withdrawal from Syria, saying that he had not announced a timetable. Will the administration and the Pentagon slow-walk the US withdrawal? Will US troops ever leave at all?
The hosts continue the weekly series "Criminal Injustice," where we talk about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, and Paul Wright, the founder and Executive Director of the Human Rights Defence Center, joins the show.
Major technology companies came under heavy pressure on Wall Street today after Apple announced an unprecedented cut in its sales forecast, citing falling iPhone sales and pressure from the trade war with China. It was the first time in more than 15 years that Apple cut its earnings forecast. Shares of Samsung, Microsoft, Intel, and companies that make components for Apple also fell. And this might just be the tip of the iceberg as other companies brace for declining revenues. Brian and John speak with Dr. Jack Rasmus, a professor of economics at Saint Mary's College of California and author of "Central Bankers at the End of Their Ropes: Monetary Policy and the Coming Depression."
The New York Times yesterday published an article saying that sexual harassment and sexual discrimination were serious problems in Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign. The article notes that nearly a dozen former campaign staff members say that Sanders's failure to address the problem in 2016 could jeopardize a run for president in 2020. Sanders has apologized to any woman who felt mistreated, but many are also questioning the motives of the New York Times, the ultimate elite news outlet that has been consistently hostile to progressive candidates and movements. Julie Hurwitz, a civil rights attorney and partner at the law firm Goodman, Hurwitz and James, and Sputnik News analyst Nicole Roussell join the show.
The hosts continue the regular weekly segment Veterans for Peace, where we'll discuss contemporary issues of war and peace that affect veterans, their families, and the country as a whole. Gerry Condon, a Vietnam-era veteran and war resister who serves as national president of Veterans for Peace, joins Brian and John.
In an historic first, a Chinese lunar rover successfully landed on the far side of the moon yesterday. Chinese scientists say the landing was a bulls-eye. The rover will conduct a number of experiments and will study the interaction between solar winds and the moon's surface. But the biggest impact of the landing may really be political. Jude Woodward, author of the book "The US vs China: Asia's new Cold War?", joins the show.
President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled the Democratic Republic of the Congo with an iron fist, is stepping down after 17 years following mass protests demanding democracy and an end to the persecution of opposition activists. After repeatedly postponing elections, votes from opposition strongholds are just trickling in, and Kabila has shut down the country's internet and observers are complaining of widespread electoral irregularities. Brian and John speak with Kambale Musavuli, national spokesman for The Friends of the Congo.
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